President Goodluck Jonathan has performed the ground breaking ceremony of the more than $16 billion Gas Revolution Industrial Park (GRIP), Delta State with an assurance that the project would create more than four million jobs.
While assuring international investors that the project will be completed on schedule, the President made the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Allison-Madueke, as Chairman, Steering Committee for the project.
He stated that the GRIP, which has Gas Industrial City, Ogidigben and Deep Sea Port, Gbaramatu both in Delta State, will create more than 150,000 direct and indirect jobs during construction, observing that it will, to a large extent, solve the employment problems if Nigeria.
According to him, “in the last few years, we have grown our economy in an interesting rate, making our economy the fastest growing economy in Africa, the Gas City project, Ogidigben and the Deep Sea Port, Gbaramatu will reposition Nigeria as the regional hub for gas-based industries”.
“With our abundant natural resources, Nigeria should be among the most industrialised nations in the world”, the President said.
He thanked the Governor of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, the host communities for their efforts towards actualising the project, asserting, “this is a project which will diversify our economy, the federal government will benefit from revenue, Delta State government will benefit from revenue, host communities will get jobs and there will be benefit for everybody.
This project will be private-sector-driven with assistance for its take off from the Federal Government”.
The President said the project would meet international standards, noting that there is a lot of benefits derivable from the project as the area has been designated free trade zone.
Excited Governor Uduaghan at the occasion sang praises to God for the ground breaking ceremony, saying that with the project, he can leave office as a fulfilled man.
He stated that the benefits of having the project in Delta State is enormous both to the present and future generations.
“At last, we are here today, the President is here live to do the ground breaking ceremony of the biggest gas city in the world and the deep sea port. This project is not about clearing of grass, it is not about sand filling but a project which will be beneficial not only to those who are alive now but those yet to be born, there is no doubt that our people are appreciative of what is being done here today, we pledge to protect this project because, we are the primary beneficiaries”.
Those who spoke at the occasion include the Minister of Transport, Sen Idris Umar, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Olusegun Aganga, Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Allison-Madueke, and an international investor listed out the benefits derivable from the project as enormous as it requires turning natural gas to the advantage of Nigerians.
